Golan Heights

Israeli settler activists organized by Halutzei HaBashan gathered at the Golan Heights-Syria border, with some crossing into Syrian territory near Majdal Shams. The Israeli military apprehended the settlers and returned them to Israel.

Israeli settler group Halutzei HaBashan advocates for expanding Jewish settlements into southern Syria beyond the 1974 ceasefire line, crossing into Syrian territory in May 2026 and demanding legal settlement authorization. The movement aligns with the 'Greater Israel' project, which envisions a Jewish state from the Nile to the Euphrates, viewing Syria as part of ancestral Jewish homeland.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa condemns Israeli attacks near Golan Heights, calling them violations of Syria's sovereignty. The Foreign Ministry also denounced the attacks, while residents near the area were forced to flee their homes.

Qatar condemns Israel's incursion and artillery shelling in Syria's Quneitra and Deraa, calling it a violation of Syria's sovereignty and international law. The Qatari Foreign Ministry urged the international community to hold Israel accountable and reiterated support for Syria's territorial integrity. Israeli troops shelled villages near the Golan Heights before withdrawing.

Residents of Abdeen village in Syria's Deraa countryside began returning after Israeli forces withdrew from Tal al-Maghar hill. Israeli troops had earlier fired flares and conducted reconnaissance flights, prompting panic and limited displacement. Syria's foreign ministry condemned the incursions as violations of sovereignty, while civil defence teams reported no injuries but secured the area.

Israeli forces shelled the village of Abidin in southern Syria's Deraa province near the occupied Golan Heights, according to Syria's SANA. Israeli military aircraft were also reported over Quneitra and Deraa as military activity expands in the region.

The Israeli military reported killing armed individuals in southern Syria and Hezbollah-linked fighters in southern Lebanon. It stated operations in a UN-monitored buffer zone adjacent to the Golan Heights, which Syria and others criticized as violating the 1973 ceasefire. The UN noted Israel now occupies an additional 235 square kilometers of Syrian territory.

Israeli settlers, led by the group Halutzei HaBashan, are attempting to establish settlements in southern Syria, claiming the area as part of the historic 'Land of Israel.' These incursions, including the declaration of Neveh HaBashan and occupation of Syrian villages, have occurred amid Israel's expanded military presence in the Golan Heights and a lack of legal consequences for the settlers.

Trump is the only world leader to have recognized Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights. An Israeli settlement project named Trump Heights, located on the occupied Golan Heights, was established in 2026.

The article portrays Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu as symbols of hope for Iranians and global Jewry, highlighting Trump's pro-Israel policies such as recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the Abraham Accords, and Netanyahu's steadfast defense of Israel against regional threats. It contrasts their leadership with global criticism and frames their actions as crucial in combating antisemitism.

Dozens of Israeli settlers crossed into Syrian territory in the Golan Heights, barricading themselves on a rooftop. The act is part of a demand for a settlement, highlighting ongoing tensions in the region.